Last night’s game against Mexico was a tale of two halves, maybe it was just that side of the field because each team’s scoring plays looked just like the other side’s: Wide open player on a corner, and a great buildup which lead to a poacher’s goal. There’s a lot that can be taken away from this one, and gonna avoid the obvious “Play for 90 minutes” and “this person isn’t coming to Brazil”bites…check back with us later for new articles about that:

1) Julian Green is the best player ever...just kidding…the kid was solid, notgreat, but you saw a flash or two of his potential. He had a genuine free kick (maybe even penalty) shout after juking two Mexican defenders out of their shoes. He also got into a great spot for a shot but didn’t quite see it coming and dribbled himself into an alley and when he did shot it was easily blocked. His only gaff was an untimely slip…and maybe you can hold him accountable for the first shooter getting loose on El Tri’s second goal. To be honest, I was much more impressed by Johannsson’s debut, Green seems to lack strength and is not ready to handle the game speed here. I get the feeling like he’ll be in the 30 and hey who knows with Bayern already crowned Bundesliga champs he may get a few run-outs with the first team before the roster is announced.

2) The backline is in trouble. I feel like I wrote this a month ago after Ukraine, and I remember thinking, ok well at least we’ll get our first team backline against Mexico…well we didn’t get Beasley or Evans…and Beslar and Gonzo were shaky against a depleted Mexican attack. I think Cameron and Goodson have clearly put themselves in the mix to start in Brazil just by being dependable, Gonzo still has boneheaded moments and two of them cost us last night. If you thought we just needed to sort out right-back…you are sorely mistaken 3) Zusi’s service on set pieces makes Davis and Donovan expendable. Ok, maybe the latter has other clubs in his bag, but Zusi is clearly the guy who should be taking the US corners and indirect free kicks (things we want a head on instead of straight shots). That corner that Bradley scored on was a thing of beauty.

4) Michael Bradley needs a partner with discipline. If only we could splice together the raw talent of Jermaine Jones, the athleticism of Maurice Edu, and the discipline of Kyle Beckerman …we might have a fantastic guy to sit in front of the D while Bradley does exactly what he did in the first half last night…heck what he’s done against everyone Toronto FC has faced this year…bomb up and down the field, create an early line of contention, win 50/50 balls and spray dangerous passes all over the field. Geoff Cameron and Danny Williams should find themselves in the conversation for central mid again…either that or Jermaine Jones needs to get a rather stern talking to by Coach 5) The diamond is a useful tool. But it made us very narrow and an athletic team like everyone we are set to face in Brazil, would destroy a single holding mid. It’s nice to see that we can do it, and I think changing things up, caught Mexico wrong footed…but they adjusted to take advantage of the space left by tucking our wide players more toward the middle

All in all, it was a B performance. An amazing first half almost destroyed by a gut punch of a second half. I would also like to make just a few quick bullet points here at the end

The away kits are growing on me…I may just get one…leaning toward a Bradley

EJ was onside, we actually won 3-2 and if not we deserved a make-up call with the foul on Green

Shame we didn’t play Luis Gil who happens to play in a diamond 4-4-2 EVERY WEEK

Clarence Goodson is going to Brazil. In my opinion, the still uncapped John Anthony Brooks was the biggest danger to the San Jose Quakes veteran for that #3 spot on the defense (at this time we may assume Geoff Cameron is a fulback). He has the physical tools to be a great player, he has shown solidly in a US jersey over the past 6 months and most importantly he has big league experience as a regular in the Bundesliga. Brooks however may have just turned in the single worst performance of the Klinsmann era, perhaps his extended absence from the Herta Berlin line-up has made him lose his edge or perhaps he needs a more analytical player alongside him in the line-up. Whatever the reason, he made mistakes that teams will punish you for so we’ll see you in 2018 JAB.

Dempsey has three months to get his head on straight. A lot of this may come from having to help cover in midfield for Jones and Kljestan who were often out of position covering for the defense who were often out of position, but he did not look sharp at all. Dempsey should be in midseason form now, after playing almost weekly since August with either Seattle or Fulham but he seemed sluggish, his touch was slightly off many of his early passes were heavy and when he wasn’t dropping deep into midfield he seemed to completely phase out of the game. I don’t see things changing for at least a few weeks when he gets back to Seattle either, he hasn’t worked with the club since December and it will take time to gel with a revamped Sounders squad.

Aron Johannsson & Brek Shea are earning roster spots 20 minutes at a time. From the moment these two kids came on the US just looked more dangerous. Shea may not always make the best passes in the final third, ArJo may not be able to physically challenge world class defenders…but they are special tools for a special job. Neither of these guys have impressed in 90 minute matches, but each of them have had big moments coming off the bench. When the US needs a goal, these might be the guys to call on, no way they aren’t at least in the final 30.

Danny Williams, Terrence Boyd, & Juan Agudelo should be very upset. This was the last chance that these three will have to play for Klinsmann until the 30-man roster is announced and none of them got a fair shake. 15 minutes (plus stoppage time) between them…and only two of them played (even though I swear I heard them say Boyd went in for Bedoya), this to me is shocking. At one point Danny Williams was looking like a Klinsmann regular and during 2011 Agudelo was on virtually every roster before he struggled through the next two injury plagued years. The good news in all of them will be in the prime of their careers in 2018.

Geoff Cameron should start ever game at right back until the World Cup starts. He didn’t have a great game, but he did a good job moving up and down the flank and he actually made some pretty good offensive plays in the second half, including what should’ve been an assist that Jozy just nodded over. Evans is serviceable, Parkhurst could be the guy, but I think Cameron should be the starter from here on out. If Cameron can physically match the athleticism of Turkey & Nigeria during the next round of friendlies, he is your guy.